Rooftops of Tehran

Content Warning: The source text features depictions of political oppression and physical violence, including scenes of torture, mentions of sexual assault, and self-immolation.

Political activism and defiance in the face of oppression is one of the central themes in Rooftops of Tehran. It affects and transforms the lives of the major characters. Pasha, Doctor, Ahmed, Zari, Faheemeh, and Iraj all engage in acts of defiance against oppression, regardless of whether the oppression is local or national and political. Defiance becomes a tool for fighting oppression, holding onto moral identity, and dealing with grief.

The novel presents defiance and political activism as a tool to fight the oppression imposed on Iranian citizens by the Shah’s regime and the state. One striking example of a public and national form of defiance is Golesorkhi’s trial. He chooses a national, public platform to speak out against the Shah—namely, on a live, televised trial. Pasha describes Golesorkhi yelling, “This court is an illegal institution,” with “his fist crashing down on the podium with such force that the [audience] jump in [their] seats” (31). Golesorkhi goes on to say “The Shah is a tyrant, a servant of the Americans, and a puppet of the West” (31). The effectiveness of the threat posed by Golesorkhi’s defiance is reflected by the blackout following his words against the Shah; the trial is cut off and instead, an American soap called Peyton Place is shown in its stead, further affirming Golesorkhi’s accusation of the Shah being a puppet of the West.

Similarly, Zari chooses a public form of defiance against the Shah when she chooses to self-immolate on the day of the Shah’s birthday. She does this during his motorcade, which is an event that is watched by hundreds of people on the streets and is televised. Therefore, her act of defiance becomes a public, national spectacle that cannot be ignored by the masses or by the autocratic authorities. Both Golesorkhi and Zari’s actions further inspire and instigate political activism and defiance. Pasha, Iraj, and Ahmed are inspired by their actions and each other’s defiance in fighting against the oppressive regime in whatever way they can.

The novel also portrays defiance as a means of coping with grief. Pasha’s planting of the rosebush—which was forbidden by the SAVAK—is his way of honoring and mourning Doctor. Therefore, the planting of the rosebush allows Pasha to transform his grief into an act of political defiance and activism through which Pasha undermines the authority and control of the SAVAK. Similarly, when Ahmed makes the boys in the neighborhood laugh in his mock lesson on masturbation, he undermines the power and control of the state over their lives. By laughing and releasing the tension, anger, and grief that Doctor’s arrest caused, the young men of the neighborhood are able to take back control of their lives for a while.

Lastly, the novel portrays political activism and defiance as ways in which characters can stay true to their moral cores. This can be seen through Doctor, Ahmed, and Iraj’s actions. Despite the personal danger posed to him, Doctor gets involved in political activism, even though he has his whole life ahead of him. More importantly, when he is going to be arrested, Doctor, like Golesorkhi, maintains his sense of dignity and selfhood. Pasha says, “His head is up, his shoulders square; he will not allow anyone to take away his dignity” (83). Similarly, in the face of Mr. Gorji’s tyrannical rule at school, Ahmed continues to defy his authority in whatever way he can. Iraj, realizing he must pay his respects to Doctor and stand with Ahmed and Pasha, goes to Doctor’s funeral, despite warning Pasha and Ahmed not to go because of the danger. Therefore, defiance and political activism, often intertwined in the context of the novel, become tools of fighting oppression, of holding onto morality in an oppressive and manipulative environment, and coming to terms with grief.